New new new new Top Gear

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Simon
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New new new new Top Gear

Post by Simon »

That was a little bit special that was. Proper nostalgia soaked retro wagons and you could see the glee in all of them at the unveiling of their respective 'dad cars'.

I see Harris actually owns that 323i now. Magic.
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dinny_g
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by dinny_g »

It was special telly... Never seen Harris like that before

Hilman Hunter here.
JLv3.0 wrote: Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:26 pm I say this rarely Dave, but listen to Dinny because he's right.
Rich B wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:57 pm but Dinny was right…
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Coaster1
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by Coaster1 »

Ohhhh didn’t know it’s on. Cheers
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integrale_evo
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by integrale_evo »

Makes me want to go buy an early 80s alfasud.

Oh, wait... 😂
Cheers, Harry
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jamcg
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by jamcg »

This would have been my dad car

Image

Didn’t get to spend that much time in it with him, as he worked away when I was young and lost him to a heart attack in 1997 when I was 11, so my memories of that car are my mam driving it like, well, my mam (which I now understand is terribly :roll: ) and my dad coming home on a weekend and giving it a good spanking 😂 :lol:

Still remember the reg- G75 PPY. Doesn’t show up on dvla so guessing scrapped a long time ago
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dinny_g
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by dinny_g »

My dad was and still is a rubbish driver and had some funny ideas. Driving in 5th gear at any speed less than 65 damaged the engine 😂

I didn’t know Harris’s mum was a rally driver 8-)
JLv3.0 wrote: Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:26 pm I say this rarely Dave, but listen to Dinny because he's right.
Rich B wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:57 pm but Dinny was right…
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scotta
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by scotta »

Great episode. First one I remember was a red Mk3 Eacort 1.6. Dad was a sales rep for a chemical company then for Avon tyres so he had a series of new company cars.

He had a couple of Morris marinas when I was really young. I’ve seen photos but can’t remember those.

From memory.

Mk3 Escort 1.6 x2
Mk2 Cavalier 1.6
Changed jobs - Avon Tyres
Austin Maestro briefly as a pool car replaced by a base model 1.6 Montego
1.6 Sierra Sapphire
1.6 Mk3 Cavalier - he fitted wider sports tyres to this one. I remember him bouncing it off the limiter pulling out a junction and dumping the clutch with great effects. 😂
1.8td Mk1 Mondeo
2.0td Vectra
Change jobs
Rover 220SD
Change jobs
30 years of taxis.
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Coaster1
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by Coaster1 »

dinny_g wrote: Sun Mar 14, 2021 11:31 pm I didn’t know Harris’s mum was a rally driver 8-)
IIRC Harris talked about her in the Late Brake Show.



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DeskJockey
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by DeskJockey »

That was the best episode I've seen in a long while.

My dad's list (ignoring anything from before I remember):
Peugeot 404 in white with orange/brown interior and a yellow wind deflector for the sunroof

Opel Kadett 1.2s - that's the high power 43ps engine! Originally a 70s hospital light green, later repainted red

Peugeot 305 estate

MK2 Golf 1.8 Club with a wired in phone (in the 80s!)

VW Polo (1977)

Mazda 626 1.6 LX - first car of his I drove

Mazda 626 1.6 LX (like for like replacement)

BMW 318i (E30)

Merc 190D 2.5

Merc E300D (W124)

Skoda Octavia 1.4TSi Family - first new car he ever bought (2011)

Nissan Qashqai
---
Driving a Galaxy far far away
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Simon
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by Simon »

Dad had company cars until they were taxed punitively for those not doing big business miles (like him), and he took the cash instead. Before that:

A plate Austin Maestro 1.3
C plate Vauxhall Cavalier GLS 1.6 (written off by an idiot in a Ford Orion)
C plate Vauxhall Cavalier GL 1.6 (temporary car after the last was written off)
E plate Vauxhall Cavalier CDi 2.0
H plate Vauxhall Cavalier CD 2.0 (auto)

So, he had a couple of Cavaliers..! They were good cars back then. The last felt pretty plush for its day. After that he left the company car scheme and took the cash instead and picked up an old friend's Fiat Tempra (with the digital dash) that wasn't a patch on the Cavaliers that preceded it.

Then when we finally persuaded him to get rid of the Fiat he got a year old Mk2 Focus 1.6 from the local Ford place.

Finally in 2016, like DJ's dad the first new car he's ever bought with his own money was a Skoda Octavia 1.4TSi (150) SE-L. He does very few miles and so all his cars last forever.
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mik
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by mik »

That was a great idea for an episode, and whilst I’d rather they spent more time talking about the features and switches that brought back memories rather than the obligatory goofing around, the banter and laughs did seem genuine at several points.

Harris did seem very close to losing it at the sight of the beemer - and particularly when he sat in the drivers seat. I assume his dad is longer with us (?) Loved the conviction behind the comment about not being able to touch anything - we had to ask permission to open a window 😁.

The fact I only fast-forwarded about 8mins is actually a real compliment....

If we are going for earliest memories it would be an Austin Maxi for me.
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Carlos
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by Carlos »

Thoroughly enjoyed that.

Early family motoring makes me wince as my dad and uncle had a penchant for new Skoda's in the early 80's.

I can't recall how many he had but do remember a Pastel Blue 105 Estelle and the last a Viper Green 120 in 1984 8-)

They were reliable and full of character but they were the source of some playground teasing even though I was only 8 :(
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dinny_g
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by dinny_g »

My dad’ list was

Hilman Hunter
Hilman Hunter - identical car, colour etc
Fiat 132 - never ever worked. Fiat eventually gave him full refund
4 years of short term loans and rentals
Mazda 626
Mazda 626
Mazda 626
Mazda 6
Mazda 6

He’s currently careless and shares my mum’s Ford Fiesta
JLv3.0 wrote: Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:26 pm I say this rarely Dave, but listen to Dinny because he's right.
Rich B wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:57 pm but Dinny was right…
RobYob
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by RobYob »

Dad's car.

Volvo 144 bought in 1973.






It's got about 750,000km on it now...
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mik
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by mik »

RobYob wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 8:16 am Dad's car.

Volvo 144 bought in 1973.

It's got about 750,000km on it now...
:shock:

8-)
speedingfine
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by speedingfine »

RobYob wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 8:16 am Dad's car.

Volvo 144 bought in 1973.






It's got about 750,000km on it now...
Any pics, that's awesome.
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John
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by John »

Really enjoyed that episode, very moving in parts.

The one car that sticks in mind from my Dad's cars is the VW Beetle which he bought brand new on new registration day in 1973. He owned it for eight years from me being six years old. I was quite sad to see it go when he traded it in for a brand new Talbot Solara. I've owned two Beetles and that is all down to the fact we had one as our family car.
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duncs500
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by duncs500 »

Citroen BXs were my earliest memory, my mum had a couple of them. The one that sticks in the memory was (IIRC) a two tone grey one with 'Jumbo' written on the flank, but I can't find any photos of the edition so maybe I imagined it. I think the plate was B747GRP or GLP which all stuck in the memory because I was into planes at the time and it blew my tiny little mind that it had jumbo on the side and 747 on the number plate. :D
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Ascender
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by Ascender »

That was really enjoyable TV, enjoyed by the whole family and agree with all the sentiments here about its emotional impact. Also think their banter is reminiscent of the old days of Top Gear - they clearly enjoy each other's company and are having a blast which is a big part of it.

Next week's James Bond theme looks like fun and something I'm surprised hasn't been done before.
Cheers,

Mike.
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dinny_g
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Re: New new new new Top Gear

Post by dinny_g »

RobYob wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 8:16 am Dad's car.

Volvo 144 bought in 1973.

It's got about 750,000km on it now...
Blimey, that is impressive. My Dad’s last Mazda 6 was his last company car which he bought in 2003 when he retired. It had 450k miles on it when it finally gave up the ghost
JLv3.0 wrote: Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:26 pm I say this rarely Dave, but listen to Dinny because he's right.
Rich B wrote: Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:57 pm but Dinny was right…
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